Transmission for sewing-machines and the like.



AJKRASA. TRANSMISSION FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE. APPLICATIONFILED AUG-18' I9I3- Patented May1,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I I V I 595: III?" 6 I I 9 .n-JJII II: w 12 A. KRAS A. TRANSMISSION FORSEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. I3. I9I3.

1,24 4%, Patented May 1, 1912.

2 shins-suit 2.

ALBERT KR|A SA, OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA.

TRANSMISSION'FOR SEWING-MACHINES AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedMay 1, 1917.

Application filed August 18, 1913. Serial No. 785,384.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, ALBERT KRASA, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Michigan City, county ofLaporte, and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Transmissions for SewingMachines and the like, of which the following is a specification, andwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a partthereof.

The invention relates to power transmitting mechanism and has for itsobject to provide improved means for transmitting power from a singleshaft to a plurality of individual operating units desired to beindependently actuated. The invention is exemplified in the mechanism tobe hereinafter described and which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein-- Figure 1 is a front elevation showing details of atable adapted to receive a plurality of independent sewing machines orlike devices, and of a line shaft extending 1ongitudinally beneath thetable and a plurality of power transmitting elements, one for each ofthe said devices;

7 Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of one of the powertransmitting elements, some of the parts being shown in front elevation;I

Fig. 3 is a detail end view of a form of ball bearing collar which maybe used in each of the power transmitting elements;

Fig. 4 is a plan'view of the said ball bearing collar; I

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a detail plan sectional view, some of the parts being brokenaway and others being omitted;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 8 is'a detail sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1.

The apparatus provided by the invention is particularly applicable foruse in connection with a plurality of sewing machines or like devices,(not shown) arranged in longitudinal alinement upon a table, as 10.Power for actuating all of the said machines will be derived fromasingle line shaft, as 11. Preferably this line shaft is extendedhorizontally beneath the table 10,

and is spaced apart but a short distance from the under side of thetable.

Separate power transmitting units, as

101 and 102 are provided for operating each of the said sewing machinesor like devices mounted upon the table 10. These several units willpreferably be of like construction and but one will be describedjAsshown, each unit includes a journal bearing 12. for the line shaft 11,and a beltpulley 35. A belt (not shown) turning over the belt pulley 35will extend upwardly through. the table 10 for transmitting power to thesewing machine or other device mounted on the table in a manner thatwill be fully I understood.

The journal bearing 12 is desirably supported from the under side of thetable 10, as by means of an adjustable hanger generally indicated at 13.In order that the journal bearing 12 may be applied to the line shaft11, at any desired point without threading it over the end of the shaft,it is shown as being formed in complementary upper and lower sections,14,15. These sections are conveniently united by a pair of screw bolts16, 17, one located at each side of the shaft. If desired, an oilreceptacle, 18, may be rigidly secured to the journal bearing 12. Asshown, this oil receptacle is held in place by the bolts 16, 17, whichalso serve for connecting sections 14, 15, of the bearing". To this endthe oil receptacle, 18',

is provided with apertured lugs 19, 20, one for receiving each of saidbolts, 16, 17.-

The hanger, 13, is preferably so. constructed as to permit both verticaland angular adjustment of the bearing 12. As shown, it is formed from apair of adjustably connected sections, 21 and 22. The section 21 of. thehanger 13 comprises a plurality of integral bracket arms, as 23, 24,each constructed to be secured against the under side of the table 10,and a tubular socket portion 25. The other section 22 of the hanger isshown as having an upright stem 26 adapted to enter the tubular socketmember 24, of the section 21, and to be adjustably held therein byclamping screws 27. The lower end portion of the section 22 of thehanger 13, is bifurcated, the two arms, as 30 and 33, so formed beingadapted to straddle the upper section 14 of the journal bearing 12.Angular adjustment of the journal bearing 12, is provided by means of apivotal connection of the bearing with the hanger. As shown, sockets28and 29 are located in horizontal alinement at the bearing. One'ofthese sockets, as 29, serves to receive an instanding pivot lug 31,integrally section 22 of the hanger 13, adjacent its lower end. A screwbolt 32, having a tapered inner end extends through the other powerthereto by frictional engagement with the face of the pulley. To thisend the pulley 35 is slidingly mounted upon the cylindrical portion 34of the journal bearing 12, and a ring37, of leather, or other yieldingmaterial, is fixed in that part of the face of the pulley 35, whichcomes into engagement with the clutch disk, 36. To permit the pulley 35,and the clutch disk 36 to be fitted in place about any part of the shaft11, each'of these members is made in sections and the two sections ofeach member are removably connectedby screw bolts, as 38 and 39. Thescrew bolts 39 which serve for connecting thesections of the clutch disk36, also serve for firmly clamping this member in position on the lineshaft 11.

A bell crank lever 40, is employed for longitudinally shifting the beltpulley 35 to move it into and out of frictional contact with the clutchdisk 36. This bell crank lever will be conveniently moved in onedirection by a treadle, (not shown) connected to one arm of the lever,as by a link 41f A spring, 42, serves for moving the bell crank lever 40in the other direction.

To insure a proper engagement between the bell crank lever 40, and theparts which "it operates, irrespective of the adjustment of the sectionsof the hanger 13, and of the angular position of the journal-bearing 12,inthe hanger, the bell crank lever is pivotally supported upon one ofthe sections of the journal bearing 12. As shown, a bracket lug 43 isformed integral with the upper section 14 of the journal bearing 12 andcarries a pivot bolt 44 upon which the bell crank-lever 40 is mounted.

A collar 45, is slidingly mounted upon the cylindrical portion 34 of thejournal bearing 12 adjacent the hub of the pulley 35 to transmit motionin one direction from the bell crank lever 40, to 'the pulley. Thiscollar is preferably fixed against rotation. As shown, the sides, as 46and 47, of the collar are flattened for a portion of their length'toreceive the arms as 48 and 49 of a bifurcated end 50, of the lever 40,between them, and to provide shoulders 103,

formed upon the arm 30 of the 104, against which the said arms may abuti for shifting the collar.

The collar, 45, preferably has a ball bearing engagement with the hub ofthe pulley As shown, the face of the collar which is adjacent the hub ofthe pulley is provided with an annular groove 51 for receiving a seriesof balls 52 and theadjacent end of-the hub of the pulley 35, is shedwith a ring 53 of hardened steel for engagement with the said balls.Displacement of the balls 52' in assembling or disassembling the partsof the mechanism is conveniently prevented by undercutting the groove 51aud by making the balls 52 larger in diameter than the width of thegroove at its month. When so formed, a lateral .opening 54 is providedin the ring 45 for 45, like the pulley and clutch disk 36 is Aconveniently formed in sections to permit it to be fitted about theshaft 11 without threading it over the end of the shaft. As shown, thesesections are detachably connected by a pair of screw bolts 57 onelocated adjacent each side of the ring.

A brake, 58, acts upon the rim of the alley 35, when the bell crank 40is reeased to shift the pulley out of engagement with the face of theclutch disk 36 and arrest its rotation. This brake is shown as beingadjustably mounted upon the bell crank lever 40: To this end, an arm 59is pivotally attached to the'bell crank lever 40, as at 60, Fig. 2. Thebrake'58, is adjnstably secured upon the outer end of this arm by aclamping screw 61. A lug, 62, projects laterally from the bell cranklever 40 above the arm 59. A set screw 63 threaded through the lug 62and carrying a lock nut 64 bears upon the top of the arm 59 foradjusting the arm about the pivot 60. A clamping bolt 65, threaded intothe lever 40 and extending through a slotted aperture 66, in the arm 59,serves for holding the arm 59 in angularly adjusted position.

In order that the action of the brake 58 upon the rim of the pulley 35may serve is beveled, asindicated at 67 Fig. 2. The

spring 42 reacts between a bracket lug 68, formed on the bell cranklever 40 and a lug 69 formed on the arm 33 of. the bifurcated lower endof the section 21 of the hanger 13. Preferably each of the bracket lugs68 and 69 is provided with a stud 70 which fits within the correspondingend of the spring to prevent its displacement.

In order that the pressure exerted against the clutch disk 36 may bereceived upon the journal bearing 12, a thrust bearing is providedbetween the line shaft 11, and that end of the journal bearing 12, whichis remote from the disk. As shown, a hardened ring 71, is fitted againstthe end of the journal bearing 12, and a collar 72 is firmly clampedupon the shaft 11 in front of this ring. The collar 72 is convenientlyclamped upon the shaft by the use of a plurality of set screws, one ofwhich appears at 73. Most desirably the ring 71 is held against turningby means of a pin 74 which projects from the adjacent end of the journalbearing 12, and enters a socket 75 in the ring. Friction between thering 71 and the collar 73 is reduced by interposing a fiber ring 76between these parts.

In some instances it may be desirable to fix a collar 77 upon the lineshaft 11 in front of that endof the journal bearing 12 which is adjacentthe clutch disk 36. The collar 77 is only required to preventlongitudinal displacement of the line shaft 11 and will usually beassociated with only a small number of the transmitting devices in use,as for example those located at the opposite ends of the table 10. Whenthe collar 77 .is employed, a hardened ring 78, similar to the ring 71and held against rotation in a similar manner will be fitted against theadjacent end of the journal bearing 12. A fiber ring 79 is thendesirably inserted betweenthe collar 77 and hardened ring 78, to reducethe friction and wear incident to the engagement of these parts.

If desired, lubrication for both the shaft 11 and pulley 35 may bederived from'the oil container 18. As shown, a wick socket 80 extendslongitudinally into the upper section 14 of the journal bearing 12 fromthat end of the same which is above the oil container 18. Openings 81lead radially into the bearing from this socket. These openings servefor conveying oil to the shaft 11. For conveying oil to thepulley 35, agroove 82 extends longitudinally upon the inner surface of the journalbearing 12 from the inner ends of the openings 81 toward the pulley. Asecond groove, 83, circumferentially formed upon the inner face of thejournal bearing 12 and communicating with the end of the groove 82extends to the under side of the bearing. At this point, an opening 84,leads from the circumferential groove 83 through the wall of the bearingto the interior of the hub of the pulley 35. If now, a wick, as 85,which dips into the container 18, be thrust into the wick socket 80, oilfed by this wick will be delivered to the shaft 11 and to the hub of thepulley 35. Usually ashield, as 86, will be used for covering the collar72 and rings 71 and 76. As shown, this shield is removably secured tothe walls of the container 18, as by a set screw 87, and extends overthe collar 72 and rings 71 and 76. It serves both for collecting oilwhich may be projected from the collar 72 by centrifugal force and alsoas a guard for protecting the clothing of the workers from contact withthe collar. A. guard to prevent lint or threads from finding their wayinto the ball bearing 52 and becoming entangled therein is provided uponthe hub of the pulley 35 and preferably consists of a pair of conicalrings 104 integral with the hub. The faces of these rings incline awayfrom the balls so as to carry threads and the like, which fall upon therings, away from said balls.

The location of the shaft 11, near the underside of the table 10, makesit desirable that the parts of this shaft which extend be tween theseveral power transmitting units, as 101, 102, should also be coveredwith a guard. To this end brackets, generally deslgnated as 88, aresecured to the underside of the table 10, at suitable intervals for supporting a tubular shield 89. To enable the shield to be alined with the;sha'ft each bracket 88 is made adjustable. As shown, each backet 88 isformed in two parts 90 and 91, and these parts are connected by aclamping bolt 92 which passes through a vertically slotted opening 93 inone of said parts. The

shield 89 is conveniently formed of sheet metal bent to tubular form buthaving the edges of the sheet separated to provide a slot 94, extendingalong one side of the shield from end to end to permit of the shieldbeing fitted over the shaft. Preferably, one edge of the sheet is turnedoutwardly to form an overhanging lip 95. This lip serves to preventartioles which may fall upon the shield from entering the interior ofthe shield through the slotted opening 94. The part 91 of each of thebrackets 88 is suitably formed at its lower end to extend partiallyaround the shield and the shield is permanently secured to this part ofthe bracket,

as by rivets 96, 97.

The invention lenders it unnecessary to provide separate countershaftsfor each machine to be driven and the use of more than one belt at eachof such machines is avoided. Furthermore the single belt which isrequired is driven only when it is desired to operate the particularmachine to which it pertains. The mechanism illustrated is of compactarrangement, is conveniently assembled and none of its parts except theclutch disk 36, is required to be rotated except when power is to betransmitted. As

the belt pulley 35 turns upon a stationary spindle, no power is consumedby the turning of the spindle within the pulley when the latter is idle.

1 claim as my invention,-

The combination with a work table and a power shaft extendinglongitudinally under the table, of a plurality of independent bracketmembers rigidly secured against the under side of the table at intervalsalong the same, a second bracket member adjustably securedto each of thefirst named bracket members for both angular and longitudinal adjustmentupon a vertical axis, a series of journal bearings for the shaft eachpivotally mounted in one of the second mentioned bracket members forangular adjustment in a vertical plane to the alinement of the shaft, apulley having an outwardly facing clutch engaging face turning upon theexterior of each of the said journal bearings adjacent one end ofthe'same, a clutch plate fixed against rotation on the shaft adjacentthe said end of each of the saidjournal bearings and forming, with thecorresponding pulley, a cooperating pair of clutch members, one of eachof the said pairs of clutch members being axially movable, and aseparate controlling lever for moving each of the movable clutchmembers.

' ALBERT KRASA.

Witnesses:

- CHARLES B. GILLSON,

RUTH BINGLE.

